BRITISH cattle buyers have been urged not to shun Welsh livestock just because the country has made bovine TB eradication a priority.

A strict testing regime has unearthed TB reactors in areas thought to be clean, prompting fears that some UK buyers may avoid Welsh cattle in the autumn’s breeding sales.

But Wales’ chief vet Dr Christianne Glossop said buying decisions should be based on the cold assessment of a herd’s TB test history and not conjecture.

She said: “Efforts to eradicate the disease in Wales, including the introduction of annual bovine TB testing, may have given the misleading impression that there is an increased disease risk when buying cattle from Wales.

“Yet all animals that travel from Wales to sales in Scotland will have tested negative for TB.

“Any decision to purchase cattle should take into account the TB test history of the herd of origin.”

While Welsh farmers are complying with the testing regime, many believe badger culls are needed for the policy to be effective.

However trial culls in north Pembrokeshire have been shelved pending a review by a panel of academics.

Its membership was confirmed last week – almost two months after environment minister John Griffiths announced the review.

Speaking at today’s Pembrokeshire Show, NFU Cymru deputy president Stephen James said the Welsh Government’s stop-start approach to badger culls was adding to the stresses being experienced by farming families.

“There are deep feelings of frustration, disappointment and anger being felt by farmers,” he said.

“These feelings have intensified in recent weeks by the delay in putting the panel together.

“We need a clear timetable for this group to report back and this must be followed by a clear and unambiguous commitment from Government as to the next steps.”

ŠMr James claimed badger culls had been seen to work in the Irish Republic.

He said: “Between 2000-2010 the number of animals slaughtered in Wales under bovine TB control measures rocketed 549%. In contrast the number of TB reactors in Ireland over the same period fell nearly 51%.

“The difference between Ireland and Wales is purely down to their decision to introduce a wildlife control strategy in infected areas of the country.”